Author's Note:NAUGTINESS AHEAD! WARNING! WARNING! M RATED FOR A REASON! Some of you reading may actually comment after this chapter and I welcome every single one!
Xena was the first to wake up, which wasn't uncommon. Bleary eyed and still the first thing she saw was that during the night Solan's arm had come down some and was touching her hand that had been on Joxer's pelt.
She moved her hand and felt her son's hand in hers and felt a surge of happiness in her despite everything that had happened. Because it had happened.
Her son was here. Alive. Resting in the arms of a man she had known for five years and had all but tried to kill four men for touching her son.
A swell of emotions hit her and she closed her eyes again to thank whoever it was that had sent this man into their lives.
Opening her eyes again she slowly lifted Solan's limp hand to her lips and kissed it softly and placed it down on the pelt as she began to get up when she saw Joxer's eyes begin to twitch and stopped.
"Mmm" The grunt of pain as his eyes slowly began to twitch and then slowly after several blinks completely open, and then the pain hit him and Xena saw it all in just a few seconds.
"Ohhh." Joxer breathed out and immediately winced as his hands and face shot pain to through his body and still he immediately stiffened and held fast to Solan as he had without wanting to moved and almost disturbed him in sleep.
"Joxer..." Xena whispered.
Joxer slowly wincing turned his head towards her and Xena winced at the black and blue bruises on the right side of his face became visible to her.
"Let me take him." Xena whispered and went to move when Joxer whispered back. "No. Let him sleep." Another wince after actually talking and he resigned himself to the pain.
Another soft groan of pain though made it through his lips as his hand that held Solan against him shot pain all the way up his arm.
Xena saw the way Joxer moved his arm slightly and knew that he had seriously damaged his hands by just looking at them, and knowing how much it would be hurting him she began to get up and inspected his hand running fingertips softly over hand and wrist to arm as delicately as she could so she knew just how bad the damage was.
It was bad.
Xena didn't know the names of the bones the way Elaine would but by feel she could tell that he had broken several bones in his hand and almost positively one of the bones forming his arm.
He had to be in agony holding Solan.
"Joxer you can't hold him like this." Xena whispered not wanting to disturb her son, but at the same time knowing Joxer couldn't hold Solan without being in a ridiculous amount of pain.
Joxer tried to keep from making noise but the pain he felt was literally traveling up and down his arms and wished he had been able to stay asleep to keep the pain away.
Xena waited until he finally couldn't take a second more and he whsipered out. "Ok...ok but...I can't lift myself up..."
"I'll help." The drowsy voice of Elaine was heard and a second later was pushing herself off the pelt she had been placed on and looked over at Xena for a second before looking at Joxer and wincing in sympathy at the bruises covering Joxer's face.
Xena gave a nod, knowing it wasn't going to be easy to lift Solan off of Joxer.
Joxer was making small noises of discomfort but when Xena went to help him move his arm off Solan he stiffened like a board and sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes tight, and Xena knew immediately that he wanted to scream out and was doing everything he could not to.
Elaine slowly moved Solan from on top of Joxer and slowly slid him down to Joxer's side, allowing Xena to bring down Joxer's arm and immediately Joxer gasped out a breath and still fought to not yell out as Solan continued to sleep soundly.
"Xena his other arm looks just as bad." Elaine whispered and motioned with her eyes to the arm and hand that thankfully were to the side of Solan and would allow Joxer to actually get up and leave enough space to allow Solan to sleep where he lay.
Xena nodded, knowing Joxer needed to get up just so he could be in pain without being afraid of waking Solan.
Slowly Xena stood and faced Joxer as he lay down and leaned down grabbed him by his shirt, and bracing her feet along his feet, Elaine helped lift Joxer's neck and make sure Solan's head didn't drop onto the hard ground, as Xena hoisted Joxer up.
The second Joxer was standing his head was between Xena's neck and shoulder gasping and Xena instinctually held him against her with frightened eyes as she understood he was close to tears from the pain he was in and would have normally screamed out in pain.
Xena ran her hand up and down his back and cradled him like a child as Joxer grit his teeth and did begin to cry against Xena as the pain almost overwhelmed him.
Elaine slowly stood and said nothing as Xena held Joxer to her and waited for Joxer to be able to move on his own.
A minute passed before Joxer lifted his head which was now covered in cold sweat and tear filled eyes and blinked hard as Xena slowly drew back.
"Pain..." He whispered out and Xena swallowed down the lump in her throat and nodded.
"We can call Apollo..." Xena said softly and Joxer shook his head.
"He'll wake Solan." Joxer said with his voice laced with the pain he spoke of.
"We can run some cold water over it. The streams are still cold from the winter." Elaine whispered.
"Yeah...that...that sounds good." Joxer whispered his agreement.
Elaine shared a look with Xena. "I'll take him."
Xena just gave a nod, knowing that she had to pull herself together at seeing and feeling Joxer shake against her once more, especially after yesterday, it had left her unsettled.
Elaine grabbed onto the back of Joxer's shirt just to be able to guide him since his balance was certain to be off because of the pain in his arms and slowly both began to make their way to the stream.
Xena let out a sigh as soon as they were gone from view.
Slowly she gathered herself together and turned to the fire that had dwindled down low and Xena began to coax it back into life to reheat the area from the still remaining winter frost.
As she fed more kindling into the fire she thought of a way to ease Joxer's pain until the others woke and as she placed a stick in the fire a thought went through her mind that made her freeze and her eyes immediately turned to where Joxer and Elaine had gone towards the water and stare.
Xena shook her head at the thought looking away from where they had gone and said to herself that she was crazy with how her mind had jumped to things but...
Xena felt her heart tighten and a bolt of jealousy coursed through her as the thought repeated in her mind. And because the very idea of her being jealous was an absurdity she pushed it away.
But the anger she suddenly felt had her moving as she listened to her instincts and made her way to where she could hear Elaine talking to Joxer.
"Does that feel better?" Elaine said softly as she wiped away the sweat from Joxer's brow and turned her eyes to Xena the second she heard her approaching.
"Yeah. Thanks." Joxer said as he felt a little relief in his face, but his hands and arms were down right killing him.
"Everything alright?" Xena asked in a calm voice as her insides were jumping all over the place as she looked at Elaine who she could tell had not expected Xena to follow them.
Xena's chest tightened. It could be nothing but Xena could tell that Elaine was a hell of a lot smarter than she had initially thought.
"Yeah just umm...uncomfortable." Joxer said trying not to move his hands and arms as the pain seemed to still radiate even as he talked.
"Do you um..." Xena couldn't help but stumble over the words as never would she have thought herself shy but found herself none the less blushing, "do you need any help?" Xena forced herself to look at Elaine with a look that normally would scare anyone.
Instead Elaine's eyes widened as she understood Xena's subtle question. If it wouldn't have woken up everyone she would have laughed out loud that Xena Warrior Princess had just asked what Elaine had thought she would be able to assist with - without Xena being the wiser...but it seemed even though Xena thought of Joxer... like a brother - she had figured out what Elaine had known would occur when the sound of rushing water was heard. Elaine's brain filled this bit of information away for later as it was extremely interesting that Xena would even care.
"Help with what?" Joxer turned his head with a confused look to stare at Xena who quickly looked at him and he could have swore she was blushing if not for the early morning light that gave everything a warm orange and pink glow.
"She um...she wants to know if you need help...going to the bushes. If you'd prefer she help you or if you'd prefer me..." Elaine elaborated and as Joxer finally understood EXACTLY what Elaine meant jerked his head to Elaine and then back to Xena and then promptly blushed profusely as he understood what Xena had just asked him.
"Elainecanhelp." Joxer said immediately trying to keep from choking on his tongue at the very idea of Xena helping him...go!
Xena felt another stupid bolt in her chest as Joxer chose Elaine over her and looked from Joxer to Elaine. Xena felt the anger in her grow as she saw the small little smirk that Elaine formed on her lips.
Xena's eyes blazed as she looked at Elaine. Her threat clearly visible in her eyes. 'Don't you dare do it.'
Elaine just stared right back at Xena and said. "It's ok Xena I'll be quick about it." A small smirk barely suppressed as she looked at the warrior princess knowing that she could do nothing to her. Joxer had chosen her. Xena could go back to Gabrielle at the camp grounds and Elaine could...help...Joxer.
Xena would have killed the girl right then and there, she worried that her threat hadn't deterred Elaine from what Xena knew she was about to do.
The tightening in Xena's chest was mimicked by her fists as she suppressed the urge to smash Elaine's face in when Joxer said. "I um...I can't...Xena I can't..."
The stuttering made Xena look at a still blushing Joxer who was oblivious to what was happening between the two women. But Xena knew what he was trying to say and as much as it stung to have him choose Elaine over her, she couldn't fault him. It's not like they had helped him after he'd been beaten nearly to death. Hell the only reason she had seen Joxer in any way naked was because of that stupid spell making Joxer think he was Attis.
Besides that...Xena had always had very little contact when it came to Joxer's body...or to be truthful - to Joxer.
"Alright. I just...wanted to check." Xena said as the blush finally left her cheeks and Joxer's still remained.
With a little nod she began to walk away.
Joxer let out a sigh of relief and Elaine gave a little smile as she focused again on Joxer.
But Xena only walked a short distance before stopping and stepping behind a tree with a snarl on her face as she stayed, hoping that Elaine knew better than to do what Xena had realized would help Joxer with his pain. Because the very idea had sent a bolt of pure white jealousy through her which had confused her enough that she knew she couldn't walk away. If Elaine did what had crossed Xena's mind...
Xena's knuckles cracked as her hands balled into fists.
"Do you think you can go now?" Elaine asked softly and Xena closed her eyes as she heard Joxer say 'yeah'.
Xena steeled herself as she heard Joxer's slight shyness of having Elaine hold 'him' while he went but it was when he finished relieving himself that Xena knew if she was going to murder Elaine with her bare hands or let her live.
"Um...wha...what are you..." Joxer asked quietly in a half scared voice.
Xena's eyes closed tightly and her fists balled up even more as that same surge went through her body from earlier as she listened to Elaine touch Joxer in the most intimate way a woman could touch a man.
"It's ok Joxer. It'll help with the pain and...after yesterday it'll help with the anxiety. I'll stop if you want. You know I'd never hurt you." Elaine's whispered words barely covering the sound of Joxer's intakes of breath.
Xena's body was filled with anger as she opened her eyes and her heart almost stopped when she saw Gabrielle in front of her still half asleep looking at her in confusion and about to open her mouth when Xena moved swiftly and covered Gabrielle's mouth with her hand and grabbed her head to keep her from moving, causing Gabrielle's eyes to widen as she was suddenly wide awake.
And Xena's eyes stared into Gabrielle's, warning her with her eyes not to make a sound when Joxer's intakes of breath became more labored and louder.
The slow realization on Gabrielle's face as she understood what she was hearing made her eyes widen twice as big.
"It's ok Joxer. I'm right here. You can let go."
Gabrielle's wide eyes suddenly mirrored Xena's anger filled eyes as she now knew that Elaine was the one...
Elaine was the one bringing...
She struggled against Xena as the rage in her flared in a second - that she was going to listen to Elaine touch Joxer made her thrash against Xena, but Xena knew that if Joxer heard either of them it would be ten times worse and held Gabrielle tightly to keep her from letting them know they were there.
And then both Xena and Gabrielle listened as Joxer tried to keep himself quiet as Elaine brought him to orgasm which caused both of their bodies to react to the sound even as hate and anger surged through both of them at the fact that Elaine had been the one to coax his body into making that sound.
Gabrielle glared daggers at Xena, and Xena returned the look.
The rage inside Xena higher than Gabrielle as she had known...she had known what Elaine was about to do and wasn't able to do anything but walk away.
Walk away and listen to a now exhausted Joxer as he continued to gasp in the aftermath.
"I love you." Elaine whispered and then the sound of kissing was heard and the hate inside Gabrielle's eyes formed into tears as she heard Elaine say those words to Joxer.
A hate she had never in life felt before surged through her in a way that she couldn't even explain.
Xena's insides were shivering with the urge to kill Elaine in that moment and knew there was nothing she could do.
Removing her hand from Gabrielle's mouth both women glared at each other as the absolute need to burst out in anger consumed the both of them.
Xena was the first to close her eyes and her mouth moved as if she wanted to scream but was keeping herself from doing so. Gabrielle's whole body began to shake, wanting more than anything to lash out at Xena for making her stay there! For making her have to listen to...
"We should get back. Xena will be angry if we take too long." Elaine said quietly and another sound of a kiss was heard along with the sounds of water splashing and Xena knew they didn't have a second to waste and grabbed Gabrielle and dragged her south of the camp and away from what had just happened.
Gabrielle twisted out of Xena's grasp the second she knew they were far enough away and looked ready to kill her, and in a second Xena had brought her sword out and with an anger Gabrielle had never seen before drove her sword straight through the tree in front of her and a sound of a scream being held in Xena's mouth could barely be heard as she pressed her full weight into the tree - her whole frame shaking from the amount of force - which caused the entire tree to begin to crack and bend as all of the energy in Xena's body was driven into the enormous oak tree that had lived for two hundred years and was now being punished for the actions of a woman.
Gabrielle drew out her sais and drove them into the tree and barely was able to suppress her own scream as she replayed the sounds in her mind and felt like everything in her wanted to lash out and kill.
It took less than a minute with both women to literally topple the huge tree with the amount of rage flowing through their bodies.
And finally when the tree began to collapse both were gasping and trying to keep from going insane after what had just happened.
"I'm gonna kill her."
Xena turned to stare at Gabrielle at the words she had said. Still gasping for breath her piercing blue eyes looked at Gabrielle who at some point had begun to cry.
"I'm...I'm gonna kiil her Xena...I'm gonna..." Gabrielle was gasping and crying and trying to stop her heart from breaking as hate filled in the cracks trying to keep itself from shattering.
Xena hadn't realized that she had begun crying herself as she had never felt any hatred like that in her life. She had known what Elaine was going to do and couldn't stop it...she should have STOPPED IT!
Two days...in two days Elaine had changed Joxer's heart towards them and Elaine had wasted no time using sexual gratification.
Xena couldn't explain why the idea had popped into her head. Maybe it was after all the battles in her life how she had sought out relief...but she had known what Elaine was going to do.
And Xena had seen it in her eyes, had seen that she was going to touch him and everything in Xena had revolted at the image it produced in her mind.
She shouldn't care. She honestly shouldn't even care but just the idea had caused something in her to go to him.
There was no other way to explain it except...he was theirs. He was theirs and Xena knew...KNEW inside her what Elaine was capable of and had let her guard down for just a minute...just...
Just one minute.
"I hate her Xena. I hate her with everything in me." Gabrielle admitted as she cried unable to stop the hate from mounting on itself.
"I know." Xena whispered out unable to say anything else as her own need to scream still stayed in her.
"If she touches him again..." Gabrielle left the rest of the threat unsaid because both of them looked at each other and knew that neither of them would be able to stomach it.
"I'll cut off her hands." Xena vowed.
Gabrielle closed her eyes and tried to stop the sounds from replaying in her mind. To have heard him in such an intimate moment...and knowing that...and knowing...
Gabrielle suddenly moved forward and leaned her head against the tree and pressed against it. Wanting to stop replaying the sounds in her mind, and knowing they wouldn't.
All it took was walking into the clearing and seeing Elaine smiling at Joxer and any sense of being able to control their anger vanished.
Of course the second both women were noticed by Elaine her smile fell and a furrowed brow took its place as she looked between the two and then a small evil smirk crossed her face making Gabrielle want to grab her sais and thrust them into the bitch's face!
"Mom can we eat breakfast now?" Solan's sleepy voice jarring the two from their death glares at Elaine.
"If it's ok with you Solan I'd really like to call Apollo so he can help your Uncle Joxer." Elaine said making Solan look at Joxer and a few seconds later gave a nod of his head as he could tell his Uncle was in a lot of pain.
"APOLLO!" Elaine screamed out while staring at Xena who's eyes glared at her, but Elaine knew if the 'God's' were around Xena wouldn't even try to hurt her.
Ares had already protected her and Hera placed her under her protection.
She didn't have the power to kill 'God's' yet and Elaine knew that even if Xena were to lay a finger on her...Joxer would side with her and not Xena.
She knew that now and it was a trump card Xena couldn't beat.
As long as Joxer was on her side...Xena wouldn't touch her.
Elaine looked over at Gabrielle, because Gabrielle was a different matter all together.
None of those things mattered with Gabrielle. And with the way her eyes were glaring at her Elaine knew that if she could, she would have been killed there and then. Gabrielle had the ability to miss the forest for the trees. She wouldn't care that hurting her would mean hurting Joxer.
To Gabrielle...and Xena...she was the enemy.
Elaine rolled her eyes at the two of them and turned to see Apollo appear right next to Joxer who had been trying to find a way to sit down without hurting himself.
"Let's see what we can do about that. This is gonna hurt." Apollo said and before Joxer could protest Apollo grabbed Joxer's hands and jerked them up as Apollo's magic burst into Joxer.
It didn't stop the wretched scream that pierced the air as Joxer screamed out from the pain.
"JOXER!" Xena screamed and would have thrown her charkrum at Apollo had Aphrodite not appeared and held up both of her hands.
"HE'S HEALING HIM AS FAST AS HE CAN!" Aphrodite screamed stopping both Xena and Gabrielle from launching themselves at Apollo.
Elaine watched in horror and in fascination as she saw what Apollo was doing as if she were transfixed.
It was like he was taking an X-Ray of Joxer's body and identifying all of the bones that needed mending and was one by one going through and fusing the bones back together.
The screaming continued for a few seconds more until finally Apollo let go of Joxer's hands and Joxer dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
"JOXER!" Gabrielle screamed and both she and Xena pushed Aphrodite aside and ran to Joxer.
Immediately Xena's hands searched for a pulse as her heart hammered in her chest and immediately felt him breathing which allowed her own held breath to finally be expelled.
"That was incredible!" Elaine said as she looked at Apollo in wonder.
Apollo looked at Elaine who was looking at him with this look of awe and found himself fighting a blush.
"Is it over?!" Amarice asked as she squeezed Solan to her body who had thrown himself around her at the sound of Joxer screaming, and Amarice had held him tightly on instinct.
"Solan..." Xena realized that her son had become frightened and had grabbed on to Amarice who had been closest to him. Moving over to her son who she pulled away from Amarice and turning and seeing his eyes full of tears made Xena's anger crumble as pain shot through her at the sight of her son crying.
"He's alright Solan." Apollo said hearing the boys thoughts on how he thought he was the reason his Uncle was in pain. "I fixed more than what happened last night. Your Uncle has taken some pretty big advisories on with the amount of fractures he had."
At this Gabrielle looked up from where she was combing back Joxer's hair, and Xena looked up from Solan to Apollo at the words he said.
"About a year and a half ago men almost beat Joxer to death...could that be where some of it came from?" Elaine asked suddenly feeling a lead weight in her stomach that Joxer had been suffering that long and had not said anything.
"Well I did notice something else but I was going to wait until he had a bit of strength again..." Apollo began and Elaine just turned her head and glared at Xena.
Xena suddenly felt shame that whatever it was...she hadn't noticed.
Elaine turned back to Apollo, "What is it?"
Apollo knelt down and Elaine followed suit. Gabrielle's hand was moved by Apollo and Apollo opened his eye with a finger.
"He has an astigmatism. He's almost blind in his right eye. Probably why he keeps tripping on things. His vision is completely blurry and his left eye's been compensating for it."
Elaine looked at Apollo blinking several times. "Astigmatism's happen at birth. You mean to tell me this entire time he's been traveling around he's barely been able to see?!"
Apollo shrugged up one arm. "Like I said, his other eye was compensating for it."
"Well...can you fix it? I know sometimes surgery can but..."
"Sure!" Apollo said and without even asking grabbed Joxer's head but this time both Elaine and Gabrielle screamed out, but it didn't stop Apollo and the scream that Joxer let out stopped as he fainted back to the ground.
"JESUS! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU'D WAIT TILL HE HAD HIS STRENGTH BACK!" Elaine screamed and dove past Apollo and right along with Gabrielle to look over Joxer.
Apollo felt odd hearing what Elaine said and he felt a little put off that she would yell at him after having fixed the man, but smartly knew that anything he said would sound wrong and intelligently kept his mouth shut.
"Joxer! Baby! Can you hear me?!" Elaine said as she studied Joxer's face that was no longer bruised.
"Joxer!" Gabrielle's heart in her throat that Apollo had hurt him instead of healing him.
It took a few seconds but eventually Joxer began to blink and groaned.
"He'll be stiff for a few days but...he should be able to move his hands fully in a weeks time." Apollo said as he vanished into thin air.
"Owwww." Joxer wheezed out of his lungs as he reached up with one hand to his head and immediately winced as the soreness he felt in his arms and head prevented him from even rubbing his forehead.
"Xena..." Gabrielle called and Xena was there in a second opening Joxer's eye and inspecting it as he groaned in pain and slowly looked over his arm and finding that Apollo had done what he said.
The bones looked set.
"Is he ok?" Solan asked afraid to come closer but still wanting to know if Joxer was alright now.
"He's fine Solan." Elaine said as she caressed Joxer's face as Xena inspected him, not the least bit afraid or caring what Xena thought. "Apollo just saved your Uncle a years worth of healing."
Xena spared one glance at Elaine who's eyes were on Joxer's face and though it pained her...oh HOW it pained her...she agreed with Elaine's assessment.
It would have taken Joxer almost a year to heal from the damage to his arms alone.
Apollo had saved Joxer an awful lot of pain by having him go through it in seconds instead of months.
"Joxer...do you think you can stand up?" Xena asked as her fingertips inspecting his hands noting how he was now able to cup his hand when before they had stayed splayed out.
"I..I think...I think so." Joxer said as she felt as if he had run from Greece to Rome.
"Armand can you help? Xena already helped him off the ground this morning and it's really not good for her with the baby." Elaine asked the man who had stood back and watched everything with shock and wonder. It was then that Elaine remembered that Armand had never seen the 'Gods' while he had been with Xena...everything much be a bit shocking to him.
Xena though looked suspiciously at Elaine.
"Look! Fly through the air all you want and kick and sword fight! LIFTING a man is completely different. And it's dangerous for you! Why risk it?!" Elaine said knowing that Xena had come up with some bizarre reason she didn't want her to help Joxer up.
Armand took a second but then nodded his head and made his way over.
"Here we go Joxer." Armand said as he hoisted Joxer up from the waist and held him up as Joxer swayed slightly.
"Ohh...owww..." Joxer said and winced as his head pounded and his arms felt like lead weights.
"Joxer...you ok?!" Armand asked unsure if he should actually let go of Joxer or not.
"Yeah...yeah..." Joxer said and both Gabrielle and Elaine stood behind him in case he really wasn't and both side glanced at each other as they did.
It was unconscious on both their parts.
When Joxer actually managed to stand up on his own he looked over at Solan who had this worried look on his face.
"It's ok. I'm ok." Joxer said to Solan with a little nod.
Solan took a second but then nodded his own head.
Xena saw the relief on Solan's face and looked at Joxer in a new light as he made his way over to Solan.
Solan didn't move as Joxer made his way over to him.
"I...I'm sorry I..." Joxer shocked everyone with the fact that he was apologizing to Solan. Xena's heart leapt into her throat, as she watched Solan without another word wrap his arms around Joxer and hug him.
He didn't say anything, he just hugged Joxer.
Joxer swallowed down the lump in his throat. His arms went around Solan though it hurt and placed his chin ontop of Solan's head.
"You said you'd be there." Solan whispered to Joxer and Joxer nodded against his head.
"I will."
"Good." Solan said softly but didn't let go of him.
Xena didn't know why her heart was pumping so fast at the sight, but Aphrodite was smirking at the two hugging and shared a look with Xena.
Xena didn't know why Aphrodite was looking at her like she was, but nothing could have prepared Xena for what Solan said next.
"I love you Uncle Joxer."
Joxer couldn't stop his tears at that, and though it hurt him, he tightened his hold on Solan.
"I love you too."
Gabrielle felt her heart do a flip at the sight and couldn't even speak as she watched the two hold each other.
Armand smirked and shared a look with Amarice who he was a little surprised to see crying.
Amarice quickly wiped away her tears as Armand looked at her.
Elaine just smirked at the sight, knowing that Joxer was one of the few men who could apologize to a child and feel no remorse that he had to do so.
"I'm gonna marry that man." Elaine whispered to herself out loud, forgetting herself for a second.
Xena's head jerked to Elaine who didn't look at Xena at all but continued to gaze at Joxer with...love in her eyes.
Xena's chest felt like a boulder had been placed on it suddenly. Fear coursed through her veins like never before. She had died several times, lost Gabrielle several times, and Joxer...she had lost Joxer one time and...it had hurt her then but...
Now? Now if she lost Joxer she knew...
There would be no hurting less in the morning. The hurt would stay. It would spread like wildfire in her veins. Death was not what a warrior feared.
It was loss.
Losing Joxer to anyone would...
"If you ever touch him again I'll rip your heart out." Xena said with barely contained anger.
Elaine's eyes bulged and then slowly turned her head to look at Xena.
Xena felt a thrill run through her at the fear in Elaine's eyes, but within seconds the fear was gone and an...amusement settled over Elaine's face.
"He wanted me to help...not you Xena." Elaine kept her voice low, even though Aphrodite saw Xena's emotions shift.
Xena turned and went face to face with Elaine who didn't even flinch.
"You ever do what you did again I'll..."
"What exactly did I do Xena? I mean we wouldn't want to embarrass Joxer by talking about...intimate things...around Solan...would we?" Elaine smiled at Xena and watched as Xena's spine stiffened and the way her eyes blazed. It let Elaine know that Xena understood she couldn't even hurt her for the actions of that morning.
Because how could Xena know...if she hadn't seen or heard. Having to admit that she had would embarrass Joxer more than it would hurt Elaine.
"I'm going to kill you."
Xena startled at the threat. Because Gabrielle said it right next to Elaine in a quiet voice as to not disturb Joxer and Solan who were now talking quietly and moving towards the fire for breakfast.
And it was the way Gabrielle said it that startled Xena.
It was cool and collected. As if it was just fact.
Elaine's smile dropped and anger flashed in her eyes as she turned her head to glare at Gabrielle.
Gabrielle kept her eyes on Joxer and Solan for a second more just to make sure they were far enough away.
"I don't care what God's are protecting you. I'll find a way."
And Elaine had to admit she was impressed with the way Gabrielle was keeping her anger in check and how much she sounded like a badass.
Honestly...this is what she had always known was inside of Gabrielle as a character. Ever since Perdicus had died and the first time she had seen Gabrielle lose her shit...she had known Gabrielle was capable of this.
Coldness. Evil.
As much good as Gabrielle had represented Elaine knew that calm exteriors usually meant the opposite inside a person.
That she knew from intimate experience.
Elaine just allowed another smile to grace her face.
"Well you were right about one thing Gabrielle..." Elaine moved right into Gabrielle's face and watched the emotions play in Gabrielle's eyes before adding on the part she knew would drive Gabrielle crazy, "Attis is quite a surprise." And with that immediately moved towards Joxer and Solan.
And it took...just a few seconds for the words to process and when they did...
Xena jumped to grab Gabrielle as she had launched herself at Elaine's back and without care for Xena's condition at all shoved her elbow into Xena's side trying to get to Elaine.
Suddenly they weren't in the clearing but inside a temple and Aphrodite was there glaring at the two of them.
"WHAT DID I SAY!" Aphrodite yelled out in a way that caused both women to look up in shock.
"HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO SAY IT?!" Aphrodite continued to yell and advanced on both women.
"YOUR LINK TO HIM IS ALMOST SEVERED!" Aphrodite yelled at both of them and suddenly she gasped and both watched in mild shock as she suddenly dropped to the ground as if someone had slapped her down.
The pink clothes on her body suddenly wavered in color and turned green...which...confused the hell out of both women and then again as it turned blue before the pink came back...but in a much more muted color than was normal.
"You two have got to stop it!" Aphrodite gasped as she looked up at the two of them with tears in her eyes. "Or you'll lose him by tomorrow."
Both women just stared at Aphrodite, not knowing what to say as the blonde goddess that was always happy and perky allowed tears to drop from her eyes and watched as the tears fell...they became diamonds.
"I can't take much more of this..." Aphrodite whispered and it was this that caused a shiver to run up Gabrielle's back.
"Aphrodite..." Gabrielle began.
"Do you two have any idea...how incredibly rare it is...to...to find someone like him?! To find a man willing to follow a woman and not expect to lead?!" Aphrodite looked between both women.
Both not able to answer as Aphrodite looked at Xena. "Do you have any idea how many people ridicule him...because he calls you his friend? How many of them talk about what they'd do if they were in his position?! Do you know the things he hears men say about you?"
Xena felt incredibly stupid at the moment, because no...she hadn't thought about it.
Aphrodite then looked at Gabrielle. "And you?! Do you have any idea what it was like for him to know Elaine could say 'I love you'...but you can't even stand him looking at you after he said it to you?! You got annoyed with him after she tells him to tell you 'no strings attached' and you blame him for even..." Aphrodite pointed at Xena to indicate who 'she' was.
"What?!" Gabrielle immediately turning and glaring at Xena who winced immediately.
"WHAT?!" Gabrielle yelled as she finally moved from the hold Xena had on her and looked up at Xena with livid eyes.
"I DIIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING! I never would have told him to tell you..."
"OH! That makes it SO. MUCH. BETTER XENA!" Gabrielle yelling the words in complete frustration.
"SHUT UP!" Aphrodite yelled again as she stood up and glared at Gabrielle.
"Will you for once just own up to the fact that you NEVER even THOUGHT about him that way! And the second...the second that Elaine showed even a slight bit of interest all you COULD think about was HIM!"
Aphrodite didn't waste a second and turned to look at Xena.
"And you! Why do you think you were able to figure out what Elaine would do with Joxer?! You KNEW and you still walked away because you couldn't even tell him you didn't want Elaine to touch him! You couldn't even say THAT!"
"You knew..." Gabrielle growling the word as she looked at Xena, her own eyes flashing with anger.
"OF COURSE I KNEW!" Xena screamed out her anger FINALLY after having kept it in all morning. "I KNEW THE SECOND IT CROSSED MY MIND THAT SHE WOULD DO IT!"
"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HER?!" Gabrielle screamed out with anger now directed at Xena.
"BECAUSE I " Xena screamed out and suddenly stopped as a truth hit her hard and caused her to stop in shock.
Xena immediately turned her eyes and looked in horror at Aphrodite.
Aphrodite just huffed out a pitiful laugh with sadness written into every pore of her face, "What do you think I've been trying to tell you?"
Xena felt shocked and disturbed at the revelation she had just had...and Gabrielle just looked at her expectantly, waiting for an actual response...and Xena couldn't for the life of her say it.
Because it just wasn't possible.
NO! Nonononono! NOT. Possible.
Xena shook her head.
No. No!
Xena's eyes widened and she looked up in panic at Aphrodite.
Aphrodite just rolled her eyes. "Some mighty warrior..." Aphrodite shook her head at how scared Xena was.
"XENA! HOW could you LET her!" Gabrielle tried to calm down and just couldn't.
Xena closed her eyes and let out a breath.
Aphrodite just threw up her hands and spun away, knowing that Xena was diving back down in to the Nile.
"Gabrielle she's smart! Extremely smart! And she knows things about Joxer and WE. DON'T! We need to stop reacting to what she does...and make a plan of our own." Xena tried to reason in her own mind.
"XENA!" Gabrielle screamed in frustration.
"GABRIELLE! WE CAN'T...we can't keep this up. I can't keep this up! It's...it's not good for the baby! And I still don't know..."
Aphrodite rolled her eyes again and glared at Gabrielle. "Seriously?! You forgot to tell her?!"
Gabrielle's anger suddenly vanished as she realized that...she...hadn't...told Xena about the baby.
Really...there hadn't been a moment TO tell her.
Xena was suddenly looking between Aphrodite and Gabrielle. "Tell me what?!"
Gabrielle winced and looked guilty suddenly.
Joxer and Solan were laughing at something when they came back into the camp. Amarice and Armand smiling at the two and looked up as Xena and Gabrielle appeared again with Aphrodite.
"Hey sweetiekins..." Aphrodite said.
"Aphrodite could you call your husband for me?" Elaine asked without waiting another second.
The question shocked everyone especially since Elaine had been sitting on the pelts watching from a distance as Joxer had been joking with Solan.
"Umm...sure...but..." Aphrodite began and was worried when Elaine gave a little detail as to why.
"We'll need a little something before we get to Chin...and I think he can help us with it."
"Ok. I'll be right back." And with that Aphrodite disappeared.
Elaine looked at the two women who wanted to kill her.
"Both of you sit down and try not to kill me! I've been thinking about how to keep you both alive and I think the best way is to scare the shit out of you both so you both won't do the stupid crap I originally saw you do!" Elaine said with no nonsense at both Xena and Gabrielle.
Both women glared daggers at her but because of what they had just talked about...both held their tongues and complied.
When Elaine saw both women comply she knew both had made some sort of agreement not to kill her for now. Whatever the circumstance...she didn't really care.
What she cared about now was Joxer, Solan...and Eve.
"Good." Elaine said as they both sat down and stared at her with stoic faces, that is of course until she started talking.
Pointing at Xena and looking at Gabrielle, "This one leaves you and dies because she accidentally set fire to a town in Chin and instead of staying alive and helping others -decided her death is the best way to repent for what she did!"
Both of their faces morphed instantly.
"Told you! Scare the shit out of you!" Elaine said looking at Gabrielle with a glare of her own.
"What?!" Xena said shocked that she would do anything of the such and...
"You were drunk! You literally set fire to the village! But because you think yourself some kind of martyr...you leave Gabrielle ALONE for the rest of her life! Roaming the damn earth with your spirit still clinging to her like some damn personal ghost!" Elaine rolled her eyes at the stupidity of it.
"Why..." Gabrielle shook her head trying to wrap her mind around what Elaine was saying.
"Look! Right now both of you hate the sight of me and think I'm the enemy and so on! I'm telling you that I actually care about you both! I just happen to love HIM and don't care what either of you think about it!" Elaine said as she pointed at Joxer.
The death glares returned on both women's face's.
"Again! I care about BOTH OF YOU! Despite what you may think both of you influenced my life and made me into who I am today! So if you have an issue with the way I am...start hating yourselves instead of me!" Elaine said and then immediately pointed at Solan.
"He needs to bathe, and since it's absolutely necessary for that boy to have a healthy understanding of male and FEMALE bodies! And since he was raised by men...guess what that means?!" Elaine said looking between both women.
Xena's eyes began to widen in panic right along with Gabrielle's.
"Yeah! He's much older than one normally see's their mother or in this case mothers naked - but he needs that bond to know you are both REALLY his mother's. And he needs to know that you two seeing him in undress is beyond ok because he's your baby boy! Trust me on this...you two have to make him understand that if he's uncomfortable with it that it's fine and he can bathe by himself...but...and trust me this is a big one - if he acts like it doesn't bother him..." Elaine looked at Gabrielle, "it means he looks at you like his mom and feels comfortable around you. He can be vulnerable around you when he's had experiences that would otherwise make him not be."
Gabrielle didn't know how to take in the information. In one hand...it made sense. In the other...it...it felt soo awkward. The idea of bathing with Solan there it...
"What if he feels uncomfortable? I...I don't want what that...bastard did to keep affecting him." Xena asked since Elaine seemed to have a very intimate knowledge in this area.
"Then he needs to learn how to bathe by himself and stay safe doing it. Bathing with Joxer might be a little awkward at first, but I wouldn't suggest it. Being comfortable around you two first is most pivotal. Again...it's about his comfort level. If he's ok to bathe with Joxer then he's formed a much stronger bond with him than Uncle and nephew. It would be great...but building up confidence like that at his age is going to be extremely hard. Most children his age have moved to wanting more privacy. Then again...most children his age haven't died and been brought back to life so..." Elaine shrugged one shoulder.
"Here you go! As asked for..." Aphrodite said popping in with a man next to her.
"Great!" Elaine said standing up and the second her eyes landed on Hephaestus she stood perfectly still.
"Whoa!" Elaine exclaimed as she looked the 'God' from feet to face and stared into ridiculous blue eyes that were just as piercing as Xena's.
Aphrodite's smile all but disappeared at the lust wave she felt...towards her man!
Aphrodite looked between Elaine and Hephaestus and back to see that he too was staring at Elaine in an odd way.
"My wife tells me you are in need of my assistance." Hephaestus said in a very smooth calm voice.
Elaine suddenly smiled almost saucily at Hephaestus and Aphrodite's hackles raised immediately.
"Any time you feel like it! But right now I need some help crafting some weapons for those two over there." Elaine pointed to Joxer and Solan.
Hephaestus who was beyond unfamiliar with flirting didn't understand Elaine's fist words but immediately looked at Joxer and Solan.
Aphrodite though had her mouth dropped open and a glare spreading across her face directed at Elaine.
Xena and Gabrielle exchanged looks as they knew Aphrodite was suddenly experiencing what they had been and she looked like she was ready to strike down Elaine all by herself.
"Do you have anything specific in mind?" Hephaestus asked and oddly glanced at Xena and then back at Elaine.
That intrigued Elaine. The fact that he had glanced at Xena unconsciously asking her permission was not missed by Elaine. It was...very interesting indeed.
But seeing as how Aphrodite was openly glaring at her, Elaine knew she had to play this up to show Aphrodite though she found Hephaestus attractive...her heart was with Joxer.
"Oh alot of things come to mind...but as far as weaponry...I think you'd know best! Maybe you can talk with them and see what would be best." Elaine suggested and again watched Hephaestus look to Xena first and then to her and gave a slight nod...still missing the flirting.
Elaine knew she had to get a reaction from him to earn a little bit of fire from Aphrodite, pun unintended.
"But for me Hephaestus I was wondering if you could show me those famous chains and chair you made. I don't think I'd be upset to be chained down by you as some people were..." Elaine gave Hephaestus a wink for good measure, and that finally did it.
Hephaestus looked at her shocked and his face began to flush.
Xena and Gabrielle's eyes widened at the complete audacity Elaine had for hitting on Aphrodite's husband right in front of her.
"HEY HEY HEY! BACK OFF YOU FLOOZY!" Aphrodite yelled and was in front of Hephaestus in a second with her finger raised pointing at Elaine who immediately raised both of her hands up in a surrender fashion as Hephaestus grabbed his wife and held her back.
Though Hephaestus grabbed Aphrodite and held her back from Elaine he still blushed brightly at Elaine as she gave him another wink.
"WHY YOU..."
"I was just wondering!" Elaine said smiling evilly and pretty much laughing in Aphrodite's face.
"Yeah well you can forget it!" Aphrodite huffed out, suddenly completely in agreement with Xena and Gabrielle about killing the girl.
"But I'm totally serious about a weapon for the boys. Joxer needs a ranged weapon since I think hand to hand is difficult for him since he's had no training. And maybe Solan should have something similar. Both of them need something if we're going to be out on the open road heading to China together! It's a seriously long walk from Greece and there's bound to be a bunch of criminals." Elaine said seriously staring into Hephaestus' eyes who oddly kept glancing at Xena and then back at her.
So much so that Xena had noticed it and didn't know what to make of the way the God kept glancing at her.
If Xena didn't know better it looked like...he was...looking...at her!
If Aphrodite was going crazy with Elaine making the moves on her man...she could only imagine what she would do if she caught HIM looking at her!
And...oddly Xena didn't find him repulsive as all the stories she had ever heard. But...she felt no attraction whatsoever towards him. Just...an acknowledgment that he was NOT repulsive and was kind of cute but...she felt no attraction even remotely to what a woman feels for a man.
But the way he was looking at her had her worried. Ares was enough of a hassle without another God being obsessed with her.
"And I was wondering if you would make me a more modern weapon Hephy," Elaine using Aphrodite's nickname for him getting another angry glare from Aphrodite, "maybe made from Uru."
At this Hephaestus' eyes looked away from Xena and looked curiously at the girl.
"How do you know of Uru?" He asked quietly.
"Well it's what Xena's chakrum is made from isn't it? I mean Thor's hammer is made from the same metal and technically both are supposed to be indestructible...which is what legend says your weapons are! Indestructible that is. Simple deduction that's what you're using. And honestly it makes me more than interested to see where you work and how you do it since a sun's power is used to melt the metal normally." Elaine said with a little smirk.
Hephaestus smirked himself, truly impressed by the woman's knowledge and curious to know what her idea for a 'modern' weapon was. Nodding his head he made Aphrodite's jealousy spike as he said, "I would be interested to know your ideas. I can take you to one of my forges and we can blueprint a design to your liking."
"Thank you! You're as kind as your mother." Elaine said sincerely and moved her eyes to Joxer and Solan who was helping Joxer stretch out his arms and fold his hands with a grimace of pain on his face. Her smile fell as she saw that pain was still an issue for Joxer.
Hephaestus saw the look Elaine gave towards Joxer and knew immediately that though the girl had made an advance on him...her heart belonged to this one.
"I'll see what I can do for them." Hephaestus said letting go of his wife and moving towards Joxer and Solan.
And Elaine couldn't let the opportunity pass her up.
She titlted her head and watched Hephaestus walk towards Joxer and Solan and smiled at the sight of his butt which caused Aphrodite's mouth to drop open and her anger to flare again grabbing Elaine and spinning her around with a finger raised in Elaine's face which only made Elaine smile even more.
"Oh calm down! Like he would ever go for me when he has you!" Elaine said rolling her eyes at Aphrodite.
"Riiiight! Because he's use to women throwing themselves at him!" Aphrodite glared at Elaine.
Gabrielle and Xena were watching with smiles on their faces, feeling a satisfaction of Elaine getting a smack down from Aphrodite.
Elaine just rolled her eyes. "Tell me Dite! When was the last time you had make up sex with your husband?! Has it been a while...because you know make up sex is the best kind and...I can't imagine him ever upsetting you! Usually it's the other way around right?! So imagine if accepting some flirtation from me would make him feel...extremely guilty!". Elaine said the last words with bouncing eyebrows and a smirk.
Aphrodite's mouth opened and her finger still in Elaine's face when the words finally penetrated her jealous brain and waving her finger at Elaine found herself completely flabbergasted and began to smile and shake her finger at Elaine in amusement.
"You're good!" Aphrodite smiled widely and laughed at Elaine who returned the laugh.
"Yep! And...you are most welcome! Well...you will be in a few hours!" Elaine said bouncing her eyebrows again and sharing a laugh with Aphrodite.
The smiles on Gabrielle's and Xena's faces fell as they understood what Elaine had done and felt like fools to think it would have been that easy to get rid of her.
Elaine looked over at Joxer and smiled sweetly, "I think you know where my heart is Aphrodite. Being attracted to someone doesn't mean that's what the heart wants."
Aphrodite's smile fell as she looked over at Xena and Gabrielle and saw the fallen faces and couldn't help but feel bad for the two.
"Yeah. I know." Aphrodite said and looked at Joxer as he talked with Hephaestus and felt a little happier at seeing how both men were weirdly getting along.
"He's a good guy."
Elaine nodded. "Hopefully I can keep him from wasting decades of his life this time."
Aphrodite reached over and rubbed Elaine's arm and glanced at Gabrielle and Xena who were back to glaring at Elaine.
"That makes the two of us." Aphrodite sighed and then looked back of to Joxer and Hephaestus.
Both men laughed at something Solan said and Joxer ruffled Solan's hair as Solan smiled back at him.
Elaine was determined to make sure that despite how the story of Xena had gone...she was going to change it.
Turning her head she looked at the angry woman and couldn't help but remember all the times she had reminded herself that if Xena thought she could redeem herself...so could she.
So she would change it...
She turned and smiled as she looked at Joxer.
Because love was worth it.
Author's Note: 🙇 ️🙇 ️🙇 ️ Thank you! And now it's your turn to write to me and tell me what you thought?! Enough naugthy? Or do we need more?! 😉 REVIEW people!